Ferry crossing from France or Spain to Morocco

Hi everyone, we’d like to go to Morocco for the first time around April, preferably from France or Spain. Which departure port would you recommend, and for arrival in Morocco, are there any ports that are better? I’ve read that some arrival ports aren’t very safe. Thanks for your advice!

Hi there!

Here are the options I know about: From France, there’s a ferry from Sète to Tangier (about 42 hours). From Spain, you’ve got Barcelona to Tangier or Barcelona to Ceuta (between 28 and 32 hours). From southern Spain, there’s Algeciras to Ceuta (2 hours). The last crossing is the shortest and cheapest, but you’ll need to cross Spain (highways are toll-free there).

Thanks, there *is* a big difference in ferry times. I think we’ll go for the 2-hour option.

Hi there When I took the shuttle, I used to go via Tarifa, 15 km from Algeciras. There’s a bus from Algeciras port that goes to Tarifa, and the shuttle takes about 1 hour. It’s a good option if you want to arrive in central Tangier and maybe spend a night there.

Good evening. We did the crossing in October from Algeciras (2 people in a camper van, price 270 €). Duration: 1h30. Buy your tickets from Carlos in Algeciras (best prices). Highways aren’t free in Spain. Toll on the AP7 (Valenciennes, Andalusia). There are only two ports: Algeciras-Tanger Med or Tarifa-Tangier. Algeciras-Ceuta is a Spanish exclave. You’ll have to go through all the customs formalities in Ceuta… and it takes time.

There was also Almeria–Melilla, but you’d need to check if it still exists. It was Handy for getting to Oujda and then into Algeria.

Hi there, For years I’ve been going through CEUTA. The trip takes 1 hour—and the formalities are done really quickly. No problems at all...😛

Hi Algeciras / Ceuta ... between 45 mins and 1 hour 😉

Hi there, For years I’ve been using ALGECIRAS / CEUTA. The crossing is cheaper than via Tanger Med or Tarifa. Crossing time … between 45 mins and 1 hour.

Safe travels! 😉

Thanks so much for the info

Thanks for the info

Thanks for the info

Okay. We’ve decided on an Algeciras–Tangier Med crossing. Customs formalities are done on the boat during the trip—much more convenient for us. How are the checks at Ceuta? We had a customs officer (no dog) inspect our motorhome and scan it on arrival and departure.

Hi there, The formalities are done at the border / customs - Documents are recorded electronically. They issue a card that allows you to move around. Vehicle check by a customs officer with a sniffer dog. No scan like in Tangier. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Thanks for the info

Good evening, just so you know, the motorways in Spain are free if you go via Le Perthus, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, and Málaga—only the Marbella section is toll-based. However, there’s a free *autovía* from Málaga to Algeciras. At exit 113 in Palmones, you’ll find a Gutiérrez agency for ferry tickets, open every day. Next to it, there’s a motorhome parking area where you can spend the night if you’re leaving early in the morning. The port is 8 km away, about a 10-minute drive. I paid 220 € for an open-return ticket for a 7-meter motorhome.

I usually go through Ceuta—the border post is just past the city—but this time, in December 2024, I took Tanger Med. I thought it would be less chaotic, but it was the same. Once you enter Morocco, patience is a virtue. Morocco has a very efficient motorway network, but be aware that only dirhams (the local currency) are accepted—no card payments. At the port of Tanger Med, there are currency exchange offices.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions! Michel

Regarding the ferry crossing duration, it's 30 minutes to Ceuta and 1 hour 30 minutes to Tangier. For your first time in Morocco, I recommend Tanger Med—a large port 40 km from Tangier where the formalities are long but smooth. Ceuta is often very congested and chaotic. As for safety, don’t worry—Morocco is a very safe country. There are lots of police of all kinds, and personally, I feel completely safe wherever I go. Just be careful in the big cities’ medinas with bags, watches, and phones. Enjoy your stay—Morocco will charm you!

Since 1994, the border has been closed between Morocco and Algeria.

Since 1994 the border has been closed between Morocco and Algeria.

Yes, but the Almeria/Melilla ferry is still running.

Hi there, I’ve been to Morocco twice by camper van—both times via Algeciras (Spain) and Ceuta (Spain) for the round trip. I bought the tickets from Gutiérrez. But if you want to do a loop around Morocco, you can go through one port on the way in and a different one on the way back, so you’ll see everything.

Cheers,

Jack